Fairytale of Salzburg
by DeadlyFandoms
Summary: A series of unrelated Christmas and winter one-shots all based around the von Trapp family and the different situations they find themselves in within the Christmas season. Most are inspired by prompts and ideas from Proboards or Instagram. Also, most are based on the relationship between Maria and Georg.
1. The Christmas Tree

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: I'm going to keep the author's notes short, just here to say that I'm trying to get back into the regular habit of writing by doing some Christmas one-shots throughout December - Also, the title of this collection is a reference to one of my favourite Christmas songs: "Fairytale of New York"**

 **None of the one -shots are related, but are all based around Christmas and winter prompts. I have a lot of ideas, but I', not sure how many I'll get done, I'm sure the unused ideas will get reused at some point.**

 **Anyway, the idea for this one-shot was given to me by proboards user andhereweare, there exact suggestion was "Maria's clumsiness imperils Christmas celebrations" - so thank you!**

 **I hope you all enjoy this!**

* * *

 **Fairytale of Salzburg**

 **The Christmas Tree**

The von Trapp villa was a grand sight to any observer, and anyone lucky enough to pass by the stunning construction often found themselves daydreaming about what could possibly lie inside. Was the interior of the glorious home as magnificent as what could be seen on the outside? Well, one of the lucky ones to know the truth was Maria Rainer, and for whatever reason, should she be asked, she could easily gush about the luxury she had been indirectly blessed with after becoming a governess to the von Trapp children. Quite simply, the villa that the children got to call home had stunned her upon her arrival, and even after spending the entirety of the summer season there, Maria still found herself taken aback on occasions; there was just something about the place that made her want to twirl around and dance the night away…something that the Captain objected to less and less as the months rolled on.

She had been expected to leave when the summer holiday had come to an end, but when the time came, it seemed as though the von Trapps simply couldn't let her go, and after much consideration and pleading (from both the children and their father), Maria had agreed to stay on. Things stayed relatively within the bounds of normality after that, obviously there was the occasional mishap (more often than not caused by Maria's clumsiness), but the autumn season rolled on, and within the blink of an eye, Christmas had hit Salzburg.

With the Baroness and the Captain no longer engaged, Maria often took on the more motherly duties and did so with all the love in the world, and she felt a greater determination to carry said tasks out around the holiday season in the absence of the children's biological mother. In addition to her expected duty as a governess, Maria often found herself aiding the more intimate holiday wishes of the children; wrapping presents, building snowmen and all the things one would associate with the festive season. However, there was one task that she insisted that she should have no part in: decorating the Christmas tree.

"Are you sure, Fraulein? You're more than welcome to take part, in fact, we'd very much enjoy your contribution" the Captain had told her with a melting smile.

Fighting the tinge glowing in her cheeks, she smiled back – turning away and blushing only briefly before replying to him,

"That's very kind of you, Captain, but I really don't think I'm suited for the task" she said with a slight chuckle.

"You're not going to use your apparent clumsiness as an excuse, are you?" he teased.

"What do you mean 'apparent'? I'm sure you've seen me trip and fall more than you've seen me upright! And do I need to bring up the rowboat incident again?"

"No, you don't" he laughed, "Still, I hardly think it's a good enough reason for you to exclude yourself. I can keep an eye on you" he smirked.

Oh, there's no reason why his smile, his words, his very aura should send her mind reeling, her stomach dropping and her heart racing…but there was just something about him that affected her in the strangest of ways…or perhaps it was just the merriment of Christmas?

"It's quite alright…" she breathed, willing her heart to return to an acceptable pace, "…besides, I think it would be a good opportunity for you to spend some quality time alone with the children"

"I must admit that does sound appealing…"

There was a brief pause as he took her offer into consideration; truthfully, he didn't want her to leave, for some reason he always wanted her to be around, but when he looked into her eyes, he could see that her heart was set on him strengthening his bond with the children,

"I can give you the afternoon off, if you'd like"

"Oh, you don't have to do that, Captain"

"Please, I want to" he said warmly.

"Well, thank you very much, I appreciate it"

"Think nothing of it, Fraulein. So, what will you do with the time?"

"I think I'll go down to the abbey, it's been a while since I've visited, and I do so love it at Christmas time"

"Sounds wonderful. Shall I see if Franz will drive you?"

"No, it's okay. I can take the bus"

"You're sure?" he asked kindly.

"I'm sure, I don't want to trouble anyone"

"You're never any trouble, Fraulein" he smiled.

"I doubt that" she blushed.

And that was pretty much where the conversation had ended. As expected, Maria had gone to the abbey that afternoon and had enjoyed spending time with the sisters whilst the von Trapps had spent their time assembling and decorating a magnificent tree to stand proudly in the drawing room.

"Oh, it looks absolutely spectacular!" Maria exclaimed as the youngest of the von Trapp brood had practically dragged her to see the masterpiece, "well done, everyone!"

"Father let me put the star on top!" Gretl exclaimed proudly – puffing her chest out as she did so.

"Well, wasn't that nice of him" she replied as she daringly flashed their father a quick smile.

"He said that I get to do it next year" added Marta.

"Wonderful!"

She once again let her gaze cast over the tree and it really was unlike anything she had ever seen. It was a mountainous structure – almost reaching the ceiling – and was wrapping elegantly in only the most shimmering tinsel and deep gold lights, beads and baubles hung from just the right places and, as Gretl had pointed out, the star on top was the perfect finisher. It was a tree fit for royalty, Maria concluded, it glittered and gleamed like something she had only ever dreamt of as a child; in truth it was absolutely mesmerising in its grandiosity…and nothing less would suit the von Trapp household.

"Not bad for an afternoons work, wouldn't you agree, Fraulein?" the Captain's voice suddenly sounded beside her, and it took all of Maria's strength not to jump…and then to blush, as she was acutely aware that the children were still in the room.

"Most certainly, Captain. I think you've all done splendidly"

"Thank you. So, how was your visit to the abbey?"

"Wonderful! It was so lovely to see the sisters again"

"I'm very glad to hear that. Please tell me more over dinner, but if you'll excuse me, I need to get changed"

He walked away then, absent-mindedly brushing his hand across her shoulder as he did so, and Maria swore that she'd never felt so inexcusably frazzled.

She couldn't sleep that night. She wasn't sure why, she had had quite an eventful day; the younger children had been quite a handful after dinner with the added excitement of the new Christmas tree, and it had been quite an effort on Maria's part to keep them under control. Yet everyone else in the villa seemed to be sound asleep…all except for her. It frustrated her greatly, knowing that she was exhausted yet something in the back of her mind was keeping her firmly in the land of consciousness…perhaps a walk around the house would clear her head?

Sighing, Maria swung her legs out of bed before putting on her slippers and robe, and she hugged the soft fabric around her frame as she made her way through the chilled halls of the villa…Austria truly was cold in the winter. Not wanting to risk disturbing anyone, she immediately headed downstairs, and with a brief flicker of childlike excitement, made her way into the drawing room. It was dark upon her entry, the room in hibernation for the night time hours, but after some surprisingly well-placed steps and impressive muscle memory, Maria successfully managed to flick a correct switch and illuminate the tree – its glory intensified as it was surrounded by the inky blackness of the room.

She didn't think she'd ever get used to just how much awe it gave her, and as she gazed upon its twinkling glory, she found herself flushed with sentiment; how she had been blessed to work for such a wonderful family, with seven extraordinary children who loved her in a way she'd never felt before. She knew deep down that they saw her as more than a governess, but the love that they gave her still exceeded everything she'd ever dreamed of. And their father, they had fought furiously at first, and in the beginning there had been many moments when Maria was sure he'd make her employment feel like a nightmare; but all of that had changed, now she could consider him a friend and on occasions, she felt something else lingering between them, something so new yet curiously addictive. She had no idea what it was, whether she could trust it or whether it was right or wrong, but she knew that she never wanted it to stop…

Her musings were interrupted at some point when she noticed that a pieced of tinsel had fallen ever so slightly from its allocated branch and was now dangling in a way that seemed unseemly in comparison to the rest of it. She didn't even think twice about fixing it, why would she? Even the most impulsive creature would see it as harmless…then again, this was Maria.  
She would never be able to tell anyone how it happened, but as she reached up and took a hold of the tinsel, she tripped. Over what she simply couldn't say, her own feet perhaps? It had happened on more than one occasion, nevertheless, she had tripped, and her reflexes simply willed her to grip tighter, and in one disastrous sweep, she fell, and the tree came tumbling down with her.

Luckily for her, she was not injured, and the toppling of the tree did not make the loudest sounds, but her heart still thundered wildly in her chest, and she was terrified that she had woken someone. Her mind became a whirlwind of paranoid visions, teary-eyed Gretl seeing the tree in ruins, a disappointed father shaking his head coldly at the clumsy governess or a scowling butler who had disliked her from day one…

She stayed completely still for a few moments longer, listening with prey-like intensity to try and detect any sign of movement from the upstairs rooms, and much to her utter delight, the house remained silent – only the ticking of the grandfather clock could be heard. She scrambled to her feet when she was certain that she was in the clear, but her heart sank when her eyes fell upon the state of the tree, flat on its side with lights, tinsel and unbroken ornaments scattered everywhere. A complete wreck.

"Oh, help…" she breathed.

Georg von Trapp had struggled to sleep that night, he had tossed and turned for most of the night before finally falling into an unsatisfactory slumber…only to be awoken a short time later by some kind of sound. He wasn't completely sure what it was, or ever if it was merely a figment of his imagination; but before he could come to a conclusion, exhaustion had caught up on him and he'd passed out almost immediately. Still, he had rose early as he always did and was the first one up with the exception of the kitchen staff; deciding that it was too cold outside to take a walk, and that his study was no place to relax, he made his way downstairs and towards the drawing room – hoping to get a few moments peace before his brood awoke and the chaos began.

Of course, the room was peaceful enough, but what he found was far from what he'd been expecting…not that he'd been expecting anything in particular, but Maria fast asleep on the sofa was the very last thing he'd thought he'd see. The surprise had caused him to freeze instantly at the door, his hand still on the handle, and he'd studied her sleeping form with wide eyes and a dropping jaw. What on earth was she doing in here? She was still in her sleepwear, surely she hadn't spent the whole night down here? She must have come down at some point, but what for?

He eventually regained the use of his legs and took slow, measured steps into the room, towards his children's governess but was still careful not to wake her…she looked so peaceful. He studied her again, searching with burning curiosity as to why she might be in here, but he found none…until he looked around the room. He hadn't noticed it at first, in fact, he would in future years claim that his particularly sharp wit and keen eye for detail was to thank for it, but when he studied the Christmas tree, he noticed that it stood in a slightly different position to where he'd placed it the day before – a few inches to the right, to be exact. Additionally, one or two ornaments now lay on different branches and he was sure that one or two strands of tinsel were higher than before.

And that's when it all made sense, the mysterious noise in the middle of the night, a sleeping governess and a slightly altered Christmas tree…with an educated guess he put the pieces together, something had happened to the tree in the night – and he had a pretty good idea as to what that was – and Maria, bless her, had clearly spent the entire night trying to fix it. His heart warmed at the very thought of it, her staying up until some ungodly hour just so that he and his children would not be upset come morning. She really was too good for this world, and he felt truly blessed that she had come into their lives.

He gave her a tender smile before standing next to her, slipping off his suit jacket and placing it gently around her sleeping frame; still smiling, he bent down slightly and stroked her cheek with the backs of his fingers.

"Thank you, Maria" he whispered.

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: I really hope you all enjoyed that! I'd love to hear your thoughts!**

 **See you soon!**


	2. Snowed in

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Sorry this has taken so long, but I've just been so busy lately...Japanese universities finish for Christmas a lot later than English ones do. I want to get as many one shots done as I can before Christmas, but I do not like to rush things and I'm rather busy these next few days. However, I can probably get one or two more up before Christmas and then will simply recycle the rest of the ideas :P**

 **Somewhat inspired by the story "Fraulein, it's cold outside" by INeverExplainAnything**

* * *

 **Fairytale of Salzburg**

 **Chapter two - Snowed in**

A visit to the abbey had seemed like a marvellous idea when there was only a small flurry of snow within Salzburg that morning, in fact, Maria – otherwise referred to in a variety of different attitudes as the soon-to-be Mrs von Trapp – had decided that the light dusting of flakes would make the abbey seem nothing short of magical. And so it had been. There had been many times when she had wished that they did not have to be bound to such a long engagement period, but she had heard enough rumours to last a lifetime, and they both knew that the only way to avoid scandal would be to push back the wedding as far as they could stand. They had agreed on January, though the days were dragging by mercilessly.

Still, she knew that a visit to the abbey would take her mind off things – it always did – and she was able to transport herself into a simpler world, one without the suffocation of planning an aristocratic wedding, one where she could be alone with her other family and rejoice in her love for god. Oh, she adored the new life and love that she had found over the summer – the sea captain who made her positively dizzy with the simplest of looks – but every now and then she would retreat to the abbey to simply let herself breathe. She felt guilty on occasions, but Georg always encouraged her to get away when she felt suffocated, insisting that that this life was still very new to her…besides, he knew that the sisters had been her only family for the longest time, so she should see them; he _wanted_ her to see them.

So, one morning, only a week before Christmas, Maria had risen early – much to the teasing surprise of her fiancée – and left soon after breakfast. The snow had been so delicate that morning, little more than individual whispers gliding through the chilled Austrian air – seemingly perfect. There was no reason to suspect that anything was on the horizon, that the weather would change so drastically, and yet that's exactly what happened. She couldn't have been at the abbey for longer than a few hours, and yet when she exited the chilled walls of her former home, the flurry had increased its vigour – a strong gust accompanying it. The flakes crashed through the air in all directions, spasmodically twisting and spiralling within the gale, and with each new forceful push of wind came a strong bite that prickled mercilessly against the exposed skin of Maria's cheeks.

Things only worsened from then on. She had managed to catch the bus back to the villa late that afternoon, but the wind continued to howl and rattle against the windows, roaring to announce its ravenous presence. She was surprised that the buses had managed to get her all the way to the villa, for every time she gazed out of the window she could see nothing but the rushing flow of fresh falling snow – a white haze the clouded over every inch of the horizon. Surely it would end soon enough, she thought to herself.

* * *

"Maria" Georg breathed with a sigh of relief when she finally walked through the door, "thank goodness you're home"

He embraced her quickly as she stepped into the grand hallway – not even giving her a chance to shed her coat or boots.

"You sound so dramatic, darling" she said in questioning.

"I just had a call from Max, apparently the snow is this bad throughout most of the West and it's only going to get worse – especially in Salzburg"

"Seriously?" she gasped, "But it's already so bad"

"I know, apparently people have been warned to prepare for power outages and maybe even some minor destruction from the winds"

"How terrible. Have you sent the staff home?"

"Yes, as soon as I heard the news I told them all to go back as soon as possible; I don't want any of them returning to work until the storm has passed and its safe for them to travel" then, with her still in his arms, he gave her a gentle squeeze, "I'm glad you're okay"

"I'm fine" she said with a tender smile, "things only got bad when I left the abbey, but I was still able to get a bus back…though, I think I may have caught the last one"

"Yes, I doubt they'll be running anymore, I was only moments away from driving down and bringing you back myself"

"You think I'd _walk_ back in that?" she chuckled lightly.

"To avoid inconveniencing people?"

"Am I really that bad?"

"Maybe, but I think it's endearing"

She blushed ferociously at that.

"I'm was surprised to not have some kind of battering ram as a welcome party when I returned, where are the children?"

"Well, that's the other thing…" he said vaguely.

"Is everything okay?"

"Well, the children were awfully bored when you left, and I unfortunately had too much paperwork to get through, so Max and Hede very kindly offered to take them out into town for a couple of hours to try and liven them up…"

"And they haven't come back?"

"No, and I don't think they'll be returning tonight…" he sighed, "Max said that he can barely see through the snowfall and driving is just too risky, they took shelter for a while to see if it would pass but it won't. Hede has managed to get them all into a hotel for the night, nothing's official, and if by some miracle the weather clears, they'll return, but I don't think it'll happen…"

"Oh, the poor dears…" Maria sighed, "I do hope they'll be alright"

"I do too"

"The little ones really do get frightened by storms and it must be awful to not be able to come home…I hate to think of them all being caught so unprepared"

"If it's any consolation, Max and Hede – with their numerous contacts – managed to pull a few strings and get them all rooms in a _very_ fine hotel, and Max assured me they're all doing fine"

"I'll admit that it's a little reassuring to hear…"

"I'm sure they'll be perfectly alright, love" he reassured – rubbing her arm softly.

"Now _I_ find it endearing that you push your own fears aside to try and quell mine, even if we're worrying about the same thing" she smiled in thanks.

"Just trying to be a good fiancée" he smiled cheekily, "now, I want you to take that coat off, change into some warm clothes and then join me in the drawing room, I've just managed to get the fire burning and I think we should make use of being alone for an evening"

He spoke ever so softly, with no tone that should give her any cause for concern, but there was just _something_ about his words that made her shudder from head to toe – a shudder that had absolutely nothing to do with her snow-soaked coat. No, his whispered plans had sunk into her body in warm twirling wisps, caressing her until anticipation shook down her spin and her head began to spin. He had intoxicated her, and she was willingly allowing herself to drink in whatever sweet poison he was gifting. It was astounding to her, the things he could make her feel, the passion he had awoke within her, and, oh, the love she had for him went beyond anything she ever could have possibly imagined.

…how would she ever wait until January?

* * *

True to his word, Georg managed to have the fire roaring by the time Maria returned to the drawing room – accompanied with a soft blanket for them to share – and to her surprise, he had also delved into his sacred wine collection and had opened one of his finest bottles for them to share – he really did spoil her, but it was the simpler gestures – like the wine, majestic fire and blanket – that warmed her heart the most. He'd even turned off the main lights and lit some candles.

"You seem awfully festive for someone who is snowed in their own house" Mary teased as she watched her fiancée flick on the Christmas tree lights.

"Well, I just had another brief call with Max, he says that the snow is definitely too bad for them to drive back; initially I was worried about the children, but apparently Hede spoilt them rotten in the hotel restaurant and now they're all far to excited to care where they sleep" he chuckled.

Whilst she wished that they were home with them, Maria let out a sigh of relief to discover that the children where no longer distressed over their temporary sleeping arrangements.

"Did you speak to the children?" she asked hopefully.

"I'm afraid not, I had hoped to – and hoped to let you speak with them too – but the line went dead before I could get a chance; I imagine the storm has finally cut off the phone"

"Well, at least they're alright" she smiled.

"Yes, they are, and we finally get some alone time"

"There's a reason we have chaperones, Georg" she smirked as she attempted to keep her breathing steady and her heart rate docile.

"Oh, I know. But sometimes it's so torturous to not even be able to be close to you. I steal one quick kiss in the morning and I'm scolded for the rest of the day. We're going to be married in less than a month, I should at least be able to get within ten metres of you"

"I know it's frustrating…I wish we were given more leeway too…" she thought that perhaps a counter argument would follow her statement, but she found none.

In truth, she too had often found herself exasperated by the intense watch of their chaperones, sure there had been moments when they had been able to sneak into his study or the gazebo, but they were few and far between. Everyday it was a struggle for them to even look at each other for too long, let alone kiss or touch…and whenever they were caught trying to display their affections, Georg would always get the brunt of the scolding. In her mind, it simply wasn't fair. Married or not, they loved each other deeply, and should at least be allowed to show it; it wasn't as if they were asking to parade it in front of their entire family and spend their days wrapped up in each other and kissing until they could no longer breathe, they simply wanted to be close to each other.

"Let us have tonight, a chance to act as we wish. I promise that nothing sinful will happen, nor will I do anything that you're not comfortable with…I just need to be close to you" his deep, inky voice was wrapping around her core like vines – leaving her breathless.

"Oh, I need to be close to you too" she breathed, "I feel…I feel…" but she trailed off, her confidence betraying her and her senses becoming utterly flooded by the man who was now wrapping his arms around her frame and pulling her flush against him.

"What do you feel, Sweetheart?"

"I feel so desperate to be near to you during the day, even if it's to just hold your hand for a couple of minutes. When I see you across the drawing room or at the other end of the dinner table, and I know that I have to stay away it's…well, it's like I can't breathe…I just want to throw my arms around you and let you hold me…"

"Oh, I know, darling, I know…" he hummed.

"I love you too much to be kept from you, sometimes I think it would be easier if we were in separate homes, at least then I wouldn't have to spend each day looking at what I can't have"

Slowly, she wrapped her arms around his neck, her heart racing at how surprisingly forward she was being. Up until now, she had mostly been shy during their more intimate moments, and any confidence that she had experienced had been coaxed out of her with the efforts of her fiancée. But tonight, as her stomach turned bottomless in the best possible way, she felt no shame in admitting how much she adored him.

"I love you too" was all he purred in response, and then, he fought his way through the suddenly thick air and brought his lips down to hers.

She responded to his kiss instantly, pushing her lips against his own and heightening the contact, letting him know that she trusted him and that she was not about to shy away. He kept things slow at first, for even though they had shared passionate kisses in the past, he still had moments where he was too afraid of overwhelming her; he preferred to allow her to let him know that she was comfortable. Besides, he wanted to savour her for as long as he could stand it, finally having her alone was utterly intoxicating.

They began to move their lips together, gently massaging them to the rising rhythm of their heartbeats, drawing them into their newfound intimacy. The softness of her lips was almost hypnotic, and Georg knew that he would always be helpless against her when they were together like this. He wrapped his arms tighter around her waist and was delighted when he felt her palms timidly slide up and down his chest before allowing them to once again wrap around his neck – her fingertips unknowingly playing with the small hairs that lay there. He moaned softly, pulled her closer and slowly let his tongue moisten her bottom lip.

She granted him access without a second thought, and he allowed his tongue to gently massage hers, coaxing them both into the flames that seemed to have ignited all around them. They were falling headfirst into an abyss of passion and they knew it…but most of all, they adored it. She tasted delectable, and he was surprised that he felt his legs weakening from their heightened intimacy, the frenzy that was slowly whipping them up like the storm that raged outside.

Georg allowed one of his hands to move up from her waist, slowly running his palm across the slope of her spine and feeling each curve until he reached his goal as he delicately cradled the back of her head in his hand – lovingly holding her to him, a safe and secure hold that not only reassured her that she was in safe hands, but that she could flee if she desired to do so. But she knew that she could never bring herself to run from his affections, her love for him was far too strong for that, and all she wanted to do was to make she her knew _exactly_ how she felt about him.

He pulled away from the kiss to trail his lips down his neck – her heavenly scent dizzying him in the best possible way. His lips were scorching against her skin and she felt her insides begin to simmer and slowly boil when he moaned her name deeply against her. He trailed soft, open-mouthed kisses against as much of her neck as she could, adoring every inch of her creamy skin. Without thinking, his other hand began to move skating delectably over her ribs until it stopped at the underside of her breast, her whole body tingled from the sensation of him touching her…oh, this had not happened in a very long time.

It _had_ happened, but only once or twice before, nights when he was particularly stressed, and they were both ravenous for each other's company…but it had all ended far too soon, and she was left with only the fleeting phantoms of his touches. She had always craved more but had been far too afraid to ask. Now, there was nothing to interrupt them.

She moaned in response and arched ever so slightly against his touch, but it was enough to thoroughly hypnotise her fiancée and give him the confidence to move his palm up completely to her breast – caressing it with desperate yet loving movements.

"Georg…" she breathed – drunk on his touch.

But they were brought out of their moment of passion by a heavy gust of wind, a dangerous rattling of the windows and the lights on the Christmas tree shutting off abruptly; they pulled the lips apart slowly, taking in all that had happened with slow seconds, yet for a while their eyes remained locked on each other. But eventually they turned and saw that now the low glow of candlelight was all that was illuminating the drawing room.

"Well, I guess that's us thoroughly interrupted" he chuckled – brushing his nose lightly against hers.

"There are worst things in the world, I suppose" she giggled.

"Well, maybe we should stop for a while, lest things go too far"

"Of course" she replied, straightening herself up and attempting to mask her disappointment.

"Hey…" Georg said encouragingly, "I only said for a while, not for good" he smirked.

"You're incorrigible" she scolded playfully.

"I guess that's where Kurt gets it from…come on, I believe there's a blanket and a bottle of wine with our names on them"

After pouring two glasses for them both, he guided her down to the floor in front of the fire, and when they were both seated, he tenderly wrapped the blanket around them both; he felt his whole body warm as she snuggled against his side. It was strange how such a simple – perhaps childlike – gesture could elate them so, but there was something so freeing about just being able to be themselves. That night, they were not aristocracy, they were not an engaged couple who needed to be supervised, him not the navel captain, she not the governess; instead they were simply them, Maria and Georg, two people desperately in love and showing it in through the simplest of intimate gestures: simply being together.

"You know…I think I'd like to be snowed in more often" she smirked.

With a gentle laugh, Georg wrapped his free arm around his fiancée, pulling her close and pressing a kiss to her temple.

"Me too" he chuckled.

Yes, being together was all they needed.

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: So, there you go, I really hope you enjoyed that!** **I'm not sure how happy I am with this one, the idea seemed good in my head but not sure if it translated well so please let me know what you thought!**

 **See you soon! xxx**


	3. A magical flurry

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Merry Christmas and Happy holidays!**

 **The good thing about living in Japan is that I can upload this at 4am on the 26th an it's still Christmas day for most of you lovely readers :P**

 **Anyway, I think this is probably going to be the last Christmas one-shot in this collection, I know there was a suggestion about me writing them after Christmas, but I may not have enough to do that, and honestly, I feel a bit odd about writing Christmas stories when it's not Christmas...but I will probably still reuse the ideas and just pass them off as winter themed rather than Christmas themed.**

 **I'm sorry that I only wrote three one-shots for this collection, I really wanted to write more, but I have just been so busy. But I really hope you have enjoyed them and I hope that you enjoy this one too!**

 **This idea was given to me by the wonderful juliee_andrewss on Instagram, so thank you, my dear!**

* * *

 **Fairytale of Salzburg**

 **Chapter Three - A magical flurry**

It had been snowing when she'd given birth to their daughter, a rich, hearty snowfall that seemed to make the whole of Vermont glow with the brightness of the flurry. And whilst she and Georg had barely been able to tear their eyes away from little Rosemarie for longer than a few seconds, one thing Maria will never forget was the incredible sensation of lying in their bed – incredibly exhausted, yet wonderfully awake – as she gave their daughter her feed and gazed out the window at the beauty of the free-falling flakes. They cushioned themselves atop the bare trees and spiralled through the air in their own unique dance, and with the glorious combination of the weather, her husband and firstborn child, Maria was quite sure there had never been a more magical day.

"She's perfect, Maria" Georg had whispered to her that very same day.

They both gazed down at the now sleeping bundle, she was wrapped in soft blankets and whimpering ever so slightly as she rested. They couldn't be seen, but she had inherited her mother's dazzling blue eyes, but her father's hair colour, for when she had first been placed in her arms, one of the first things that Maria had found extraordinary was the dusting of dark brown hair that graced her head. The rest of the world always seemed to melt away for them whenever they looked at their child, Maria would forget about the exhaustion and the hours of pain she just had endured, for looking down at her daughter made her realise that it had all been worthwhile. She never thought she could ever love anyone as much as she loved her.

"Oh, she is…maybe I only think that because she's ours…but I don't think I've ever seen anything more beautiful"

Her voiced faded out as she ran the back of her index finger down her daughter's cheek, instantly feeling so connected with the life and she and her husband had created.

"You have no idea how proud I am of you" Georg told her, and it would be the first of many times for him to say it. She looked up at him for just a moment and felt her heart swell when she saw tears building in the corners of his eyes.

"I couldn't have done any of it without you" she admitted, "I was so scared"

"And you were so brave" he kissed her cheek before looking back down at Rosemarie, "You would think that after eight children I would be somewhat used to days like this, but each time a new life comes along, it touches me in a way that makes it feel like it's the very first time. The strength of the love never softens…" he trailed off.

It was the first time in a long time that Georg had allowed a tear to fall onto his cheek; he hadn't even cried when they'd fled Austria, but now, with his wife in his arms and holding their child that she had so bravely brought into the world, well, it was just so overwhelming. He knew from his first marriage that having a child often changed the dynamic of a marriage – strengthening the bond of husband and wife – but he never thought he could love Maria more than he already had…but the moment he'd seen her with their daughter, he knew that his love for her had soared to a whole new level. It was astounding to him, and he knew it was a love that would never die out.

From that day onwards, Maria had always adored snow.

Time passed quickly after that, the winter months came and went, making way for the glorious arrival of spring and all the new life it had to offer; and as time continued its methodical passing, their daughter continued to grow. Maria adored watching her flourish, and never tired of the sight of her husband interreacting with her; she had known long before her pregnancy that Georg was a marvellous father to their children, but seeing him cradle and care for a child that was so young was entirely new to her, and it was something that always seemed to make her heart flutter.

She had never cared for a child younger than little Gretl, and when the reality had finally sunk in Maria found herself more than a little apprehensive about caring for a baby, but Georg had been by her side ever step of the way; he had encouraged her, showed her what to do and always gave her help or took over whenever she needed him too. He was always there. And the children, ecstatic to have a new sibling, always wanted to help out their mother with caring for little Rosemary. She blossomed into such a wonderful little girl as the months continued to come and go, and each new milestone only heightened the pure, unbridled love and fidelity that Maria felt for her family, entering her into something truly unique and unbreakable. What she ever did to become so blessed she never knew. Everything from Rosemary's first unstable steps to her first mumbled German word seemed like miracles in themselves – it was truly amazing.

But there was one memory that, for whatever reason, solidified itself in her mind as one of her favourites – one of the most truly heart-warming encounters that she'd ever known…

It was almost exactly a year after Rosemary's birth and whilst December had once again graced Vermont with its usual icy air and prickling winds, a single snowflake had yet to fall – something that served well in disappointing all of their children. But one morning, just as the early light was beginning to bleed through the curtains, Marta and Gretl burst through the door of their parents' bedroom – which they'd left unlocked in their exhaustion – and launched themselves onto their bed, waking them immediately. The couple both grunted at the surprise of the noise and extra weight that was now crushing their sleepy frames; Maria had tried to sit up and calm the girls – lest they wake up Rosemary, who was only in the next room – but it was to no avail…

"Mother! Father! It snowed last night!" Gretl announced excitedly.

"And there's so much! Enough for us to go sledging on the hill!"

"Oh…mmm…well that's wonderful, girls…" Maria groaned sleepy as she tried to prevent the girls from jumping on their bed and crushing her or Georg even more, "…but it's barely morning, please go back to bed"

"We're too excited!" Marta cheered.

"Please, girls" Georg groaned.

"It's not nice to wake people up so early in the morning, I'm sure your brothers and sisters wouldn't appreciate it, and I certainly don't want you to wake Rosemary up" Maria kept her voice soft, but even the little ones could detect the stern undercurrent in her tone.

"We really want to go and play in the snow, mother" Gretl pleaded.

"And you will, but after breakfast and at a more sensible hour, okay?" Georg reasoned.

"Okay" the girls replied with some dismay.

"Go back to bed and try and get some rest, then you'll have plenty of energy to go sledging" Maria told them, and it seemed to work, for the two girls nodded and hopped off the bed excitedly before running back to their rooms.

"Well done" Georg murmured with genuine appreciation.

"I appreciate that, but I don't think that was my best negotiation" she giggled.

"Well, it got us at least another hour of peace, so I'm not complaining…and the nursery is still quiet"

"Thank goodness, she just wouldn't go down last night"

"I'm sorry I couldn't be of much help" he apologised.

"As you once told me, teething is teething and there is little that can be done to help it"

"What a wise husband you have, Mrs von Trapp" he chuckled.

"Seven children prior comes with its advantages"

"Not when there's been a heavy snowfall it doesn't"

"We knew this would happen eventually, at least they didn't wake us until…" she craned her neck to look at the clock, "…six" she announced.

"The last hour of sleep happens to be my favourite" he semi-joked.

"Well, now you can be awake to appreciate it"

"So, will you be sledging with the girls?"

"You know my weak spots too well" she mused, "perhaps, if the opportunity presents itself"

"I'll happily stay on the side lines with Rosie, I think I'm too old for sledging"

"Oh, you're anything but old, Captain" she chuckled, "but we'll figure out today's parenting rota later"

"After an extra hour of sleep?"

"Naturally" she smiled.

But just as the pair had settled down in preparation for grasping the final few strands of sleep, the inevitable cry of an infant came echoing from the nursery next door.

"Guess, that's our sleep finished" Maria laughed sleepily.

Most of the children had gotten themselves up and dressed well before breakfast, and they had all wolfed it down like it was some Olympic sport; and no matter how much Maria and Georg had tried to calm them, there was still a lingering urgency within all of their actions. But, sooner or later the parents could stall no longer, and they finally allowed the children to go outside, and the resulting response could only be likened to a stampede of wild animals, for they had left the house within mere seconds of the words leaving Maria's mouth.

After dressing Rosemary and handing her over to her father, she had insisted that Georg take her outside whilst she cleared up in the kitchen, naturally he had protested over her suggestion, but Maria had humorously stood firm announcing that she could easily get it done if there were no children to worry about. And so, after only a short debate, Georg had taken his youngest child out into the snow, and whilst the other children raced up to the neighbouring hill to try out their sledges, he had stayed near the bottom and delighted in how his youngest looked upon the weather change with eyes filled with awe.

Maria had been excited to finally be able to enjoy the snow this Christmas and her husband knew that more than anyone, and whilst the thought of indulging in sled races and snowball fights awoke that joyous, carefree spirit of hers, it was actually something completely different that ended up taking her breath away. After clearing the kitchen and finally dressing herself in some appropriate outdoor attire, Maria had wandered out to join her family and eventually stumbled upon one of the most beautiful sights she'd ever seen.

She found her husband, on his knees in the snow – an unbridled smile painted across his face – and laughing mirthfully as little Rosemary discovered her first snowfall. The little girl pottered about in the soft cushioning, stumbling awkwardly as she adjusted to the new surface; at some point she lost her footing and stumbled bottom-first into the snow, only to laugh musically about it and attempted to bury herself in it further.

"Whoops!" Georg cooed as he laughed along with the almost one-year-old, "Good thing it's a soft landing, sweetheart"

Rosemary laughed again and began to thrash her arms and legs around, adoring the new sensation of the soft snow around her and the powdery flakes that splashed above ground from her ministrations.

"Is this your version of a snow angel?" Georg laughed.

A joyful 'Papa!' was all he got in response.

"Come on, let's get you back up" Georg said before lifting Rosemary back to her feet and brushing the snow off her back, "So what do you think of the snow, Rosie? Do you like it?" he smiled.

In response, Rosemary bent down to pick up two fistfuls of snow before awkwardly throwing the flakes into the air and making them rain down upon her – squealing gleefully as they fell.

"I'll take that as a firm 'yes'" Georg laughed.

Rosemary continued to throw a few more handfuls of snow around before deciding that it was all too exciting, and she bounded merrily towards her father and into his awaiting embrace; Georg pulled her in tight and held her close to him, his entire body warming with unbridled love. He could scarcely believe that his little girl was almost a year old, it seemed like mere moments ago that she was born, the day when he had been so unbelievably proud of his wife and moved beyond words in response to the gift that she had given him. It was a truly incredibly feeling, one that he knew he'd never be able to fully explain and do it justice.

Only a few steps away, Maria was in a similar state. She just couldn't stop herself from smiling at what she had observed, her husband so in love with their youngest child, playing with her as if she were the only other person to exist in his life; and to see such fidelity in his eyes, to see a smile brighter than the sun itself, well, it was truly indescribable. She knew then that her life truly was perfect. Unable to resist any longer, Maria took the final few steps and joined her husband and daughter down in the snow.

"And here's Mama" Georg announced with a smile.

"Hello, you two" she looked endearingly at her husband before brushing her daughter's cheek, "You look like you're enjoying yourself" Maria cooed as she fussed with Rosie's coat.

"Oh, she certainly is" Georg released his daughter then and watched carefully as she stepped away just a little bit and once again began to playfully investigate the snow, "How long were you watching us for?" he smirked.

"Long enough" Maria sighed lovingly, "I love you, you know"

"I love you too"

Yes, snow was definitely one of her favourite things.

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES: So, there you go! That's the (very probable) end of my Christmas one-shots. Over the next few weeks I will be studying a lot for my exams in January, so I'm not sure how much time I will get to write, but I will do my best to get some done. I also think I will try and focus more on finishing my multi-chapter stories as I think they have been unfinished for too long.**

 **Anyway, as always, I have spoken too much. So, I hope you've had a wonderful holiday and I'll see you soon! xxx**


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